Electric fan.



W. C. HOOD.

ELECTRIC FAN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8,19l4.

1 214 163 Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

SHEET 1- 2 SHEETS- W. C. HOOD.

ELECTRIC FAN.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 8. 1914.

Patented Jan. 30, 1917.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

' the shape of the fan blades reversed from.

" s ra rns ra rnnr WILLIAM G. HOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

ELECTRIC FAN.

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 36 1191"? Application filed Gctober 8, 1914. Serial No. 865,615.

character above referred to, in which the air is drawn toward the deflector and returned at a predetermined level; to provide a fan which can be mounted adjacent the ceiling or the side wall and the course of the deflected air governed to cover a predetermined area; to provide a fan in which the deflector plate is positioned in the rear of the fan and the polarity of themotor and the ordinary construction so that the air is sucked in against the deflector plate; to provide means for adjustably regulating the angle at which the air is deflected, whereby the radius within which the fan produces air currents can be increased or lessened to correspond with the size of the room or the area which it is desired shall be regulated; to provide a mechanism of this character which can be suspended from the ceiling or positioned at the side wall and utilized to fumigate or perfume the room by positioning the perfume or fumigating substance in the path of the air which is sucked against the deflector plate and returned back to the desired portion of the room; to so construct the deflector plate that it may be used with fans of'standard size and shape; to so construct and arrange the parts practically invisible as to render the motor when viewed from any point except the back or top of the device. The device, therefore, is extremely compact and occupies very little more space than would be occupied by general to provide an improved fan of the character first above mentioned which can be economically manufactured and'will efliciently perform these various objects. a

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation, showing a fan structure embodying my invention, attached to the ceiling of a room. Fig. 2 is atop plan View showing a the air blast.

' of the blades the fan and motor alone; and inv slightly modified construction. Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

In various fans previously constructed, attempts have been made to avoid the unpleasant and disadvantageous efl'ects of the direct blast of air from the fan by placing perforated shields or the like in front of and around the fan blades. Such shields, however, tended to reduce the volume of the air current produced by the blades, and were further deficient in that no provision could be made for regulating the area of the surface acted upon without tending to decrease the efliciency of the fan.

In the present construction I have ob tained the regulation of the air currents by a simple and eflicient construction and without materially diminishing the volume of Referring first to the construction shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, 1 designates the fan, having a plurality of blades 2 connected to the shaft 3 of the motor l. The latter is connected by wire 5 with a suitable source of current, and the electrical connection with the motor is controlled by a switch 6. When the fan is suspended from the ceiling as shown in Fig. 1, I preferably connect this switch with an extension cord 7 adapted to extend over the edge of the deflector 8 to a point where it can be conveniently operated. The polarity of the motor 4 is reversed from that of the ordinary type of fan, and this together with the construction 2 results in the fan sucking the air in toward the deflector plate8. llhe central portion of this plate is approximately frusto conical and curves outward gradually toward, the edge to form a rim portion 8, but as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the marginal portions 9 are preferably slightly deflected downwardly so that the deflected air, while having a general direction transverse'to the axis about which the fan revolves, is returned slightly toward the space from which it is drawn. By increasmy inventlon, since ltthl'OWS the air out above the planeof the occupants of the a room orpcan be used to cover any predetermined area accordingly as the mar 'nal portions are more or less sharply inclined.

In the modification disclosed in Figs. 2

and 3, means .are provided for 'changing the incline of the marginal portions without reconstructing the main portion of the deflector plate. As shown in Fig. 3 the bead of the deflector plate receives a complementary bead 11 formed in a removable band 12. The latter is constructed preferably in the shape of a split collar, the meeting ends 13 and 14 of which are provided with lugs 15 and 16 through which a. bolt 17 extends. winged nut 18, the ends of the band 12 are adjusted toward or from each other. The band can be adjusted in this manner or entirely removed and a band of diflerent configuration substituted. It is to be noted that the removable band 12, above mentioned, can be applied to the beaded portion 10 of the deflector plate without structurally changing the tion the eyelets 19, 20 and 21, to which the supporting chains 22 are secured, at points inside the marginal rim, as indicated in ig. 2. v

It is obvious that the regulation of the area controlled by the deflected air by means of the inclined surface 9 and the band 12, would be'of material value if the fan were mounted on the side wall. However, as previously stated, I preferably suspend the fan and its deflector plate from the ceiling and at a level above that of the occupants of the room. This not only. decreases the liability of the fan injuring anyone but permits of the air being drawn to a point near the ceiling and returned at any desired level between the ceiling and the floor and further, if it is desired to perfume or fumigate the room, powder or other substance in the path of the incoming'airto have it'distributed equally at the desired leve It will be observed that my device, especially in'the form shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is not simply a deflectorbut is, practically speaking, a reflector as well for it not only throws the up blast laterally outward but is capable, when provided with a band 12 as indicated, of returning it in a downward as well as outward direction. My device is thus capable of creating an indirect air stream, the force of which is greatly lessened and the eflective area greatly increased. Besides this the individual impulses or air waves created by the blades ofthe fan are merged together in striking the deflector plates and are converted intoa smooth and continuous air stream. as It will be noted also that on account of the frusto conical By tightening or loosening the.

latter, although in some stances it may be found advisable to pos1- it is only necessary to position the shape of the deflector at the center, spaceis aflorded for receiving the motor. The configuration and arrange: ments are such that the motor is not only well protected from the sides, but is practically invisible from all points except, the top or back of the device. While this characteristic isnot essential, I would call attention to the fact that in the present embodiment of the invention there is a circular opening at the base of the conical portion of the deflector and that this opening is closed by the bottom of the motor. This forms a convenient and inexpensive manner of constructing and assembling the parts and furnishes a neat appearance. Byvforming an annular shoulder 22 upon the motor the larger diameter whereof is larger than the diameter of the circular opening at the bottom of the deflector, the motor may rest asit were in a socket, and for a device of the ceiling or suspended type no actual fastening devices are necessary.

It will be seen that my apparatus produces indirect ventilation in the sense that it first creates a current of air in a direction opposite or approximately opposite to that ultimately desired, and that thereafter the .air stream is gradually diverted, first traveling radially outward in all directions and ultimately traveling in a direction almost opposite to the initial direction, especially when a band or hood such as the one illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 is present. This tempers the air stream and increases its effective area in the manner already described. ile I haveshown and described a particular construction of deflector plate 8 and band 12, it is obvious that various changes in construction and arrangement of parts could be made without departing from the scope of my invention, and I do not desire to limit the invention the appended claims.

I claim as my invention: L-The' combination with a fan. of a deflector plate positioned in rear of said fan, said deflector plate having a substantially wide marginal portion terminating in a rounded bead portion and-an inclined band secured to said head portion for governing the area controlled by the deflected air currents. I

2. The combination with a fan, of a deflector plate positioned in rear of said fan, sa 1d deflector plate having a substantially wlde marginal portion terminating in a rounded bead portion, an inclined band secured to said bead portion for governing the area controlled by the deflected air cur.- rents, said band being detachable from the bead portion.

3. In an electric fan and in combination, a deflector plate having a truncated conical portionwith the side of except as specified in emma rim and an intermediate portion of-substantial extent merging into the concave cone and the rim, a motor having its major portion located at the rear side of the plate in the chamber formed by the conical portion and a fan located coaxial of the plate in advance of the front side thereof.

4. In an electric fan and in combination, a deflector plate having a truncated conical central portion with an opening through the end of said truncated portion substantially co;extensive in area with said end and a deflecting portion of material extent at the base of the cone, a motor having a casing, said motor having its major portion located in the chamber formed at the rear of the plate by the conical portion thereof andan end of its casing exposed through said opening in the plate and substantially closlng the same, and a fan arranged coaxial of the plate in advance of said exposed end of the 

